“Ace likes you, you know.”
I scoff and laugh at the same time, and he turns to face me, grabbing me gently by the bicep to get my attention. “Julia, I’m serious.”
I laugh again, shaking my head. “Oh, I know you are and I’m sorry for laughing, but you just don’t know Ace. This always happens, people thinking we’re something that we’re not. We’ve been friends since utero. He knows everything about me, and I know everything about him. Whatever that was back there was just him protecting me.” I shrug. “He’ll probably have two girls over while we’re gone today, I’m telling you. He’s charisma in a bottle, but it doesn’t mean anything. You’ll get used to him.”
“Okay,” he agrees easily because that’s what Drew does, but I can tell he doesn’t believe me. But that’s not new. No one ever believes me.
I pat his hand and reach up to touch my lips to his cheek just before the elevator doors open to the lobby, my goal to put him at ease. “I know you don’t believe me right now, but it’s so sweet of you to pretend. I’m telling you, though, if you hang around long enough, you’ll see.”
“Okay,” he says, holding me back when I go to step off the elevator and pulling my gaze to his so he can look me in the eye. “But just so there’s no confusion…Julia, Ilikeyou. And if things keep going the way they are, I want to be more than just a friend.”
My chest buoys and my stomach drops all at once, and I smile through the feeling like it isn’t one of the strangest in the world.
Drew Bettencourt likes me.
And yet, in my mind, all I see is a vision of the kiss Ace gave me at the lake house. Thebest-friendkiss that didn’t feel like friends at all.
What the hell is that all about?
Monday, July 21st
Ace
As I spritz on my favorite Dior cologne, a text vibrates my phone on my bathroom counter.
Boden: Some of us don’t have the summer off, dude. I’ve been breaking my back at doubles every day. What the fuck have YOU been doing?
His text is in response to the text I sent him three fucking hours ago, asking him where in the hell he’s been and berating him for completely ignoring Finn and me when we tried to reach him last night and this morning.
Me: Mostly fucking off. Getting my shit twisted over Julia. You know the deal. Anyway are you free right now? I’ve got a whole fucking thing happening in Central Park in tminus 25 minutes and I need as many hands on deck as possible.
Boden: Sorry, I’m busy. As appealing as “a whole fucking thing” is. Truly reassuring, actually. Have you gotten any takers with that sales pitch?
Me: Finn’s helping me
Boden: That tracks. You made him a hostage last year. Probably got Stockholmsyndrome by now.
Me: Hey jockstrap he gives his friendship freely and willingly. I can’t help it if he’s unconscious when he agrees to things sometimes. He should sleep harder so he doesn’t answer me
Boden: LMAO. Good luck, dude. With whatever it is.
Me: Yeah wahtever. Fuck you too
I slide my phone in the back pocket of my jeans, take one final look at my appearance in the mirror—I look fucking good—and head out my door and across the hall.
I knock three times, fast and hard, on Julia’s door, calling through the wood to emphasize our need to hurry. We’re already running ten minutes late, and I know for a fact that old Finnley Hayes isn’t going to be happy about wrestling a goldendoodle puppy in the middle of Central Park for any longer than contractually agreed upon. “Come on, Jules! You ready?”
“Coming!” she calls back from somewhere inside. “Just a second.”
I bounce on my toes and glance down at my watch again, willing my heartbeat to stop counting the seconds. I can feel it in my lungs, my wrists, my jugular. I am a walking pulse.
She’s been talking about getting a puppy since the day we moved in to our apartments, and the idea of getting to see her face as she realizes it’s happening is…overwhelming.
I never knew it could be like this—that it couldfeellike this. I’ve always loved Julia, but I’ve undoubtedly spent the majority of my life focused on myself. My reactions, my happiness, my wants and needs. Spending the time focusing myself on her has been enlightening in a million ways I didn’t expect.
I’m learning new smiles, seeing new depths of her dimple—realizing she finds joy in the simplest of things, even when I get frustrated or upset.
She’s sunshine in a bottle, and I’ve taken that for granted for a hell of a lot of years.
